Rushton, Elizabeth;
Walshe, Nicola;
Kitson, Alison;
Sharp, Sarah;
(2024)
Leading whole school spaces of agency for climate change and sustainability education. A case study of four schools from England.
Journal of Professional Capital and Community
10.1108/jpcc-06-2024-0093.
(In press).
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Abstract
PURPOSE: In England, climate change and sustainability education (CCSE) is predominantly taught with a focus on knowledge in school geography and science. However, whole-school approaches to CCSE exist which encompasses curriculum, campus, community and culture. Drawing on conceptualisations of the ecological approach to teacher agency we explored the ways in which the leadership of a whole-school approach to CCSE was implemented across four case study schools. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Four case study schools were identified as having implemented CCSE across the areas of classroom, culture, campus and community, with opportunities to share good practice. During visits to each school, we completed a series of 15 interviews with teachers who had roles leading geography (n = 4) and science (n = 4) curricular; school leaders (n = 4) and sustainability coordinators (n = 3). We engaged with a range of school curricula and policy materials and toured each site. FINDINGS: At the heart of an effective approach to whole-school CCSE are leaders who create the conditions for teachers to achieve agency and enact curriculum making as a social practice. School leaders themselves are critical in ensuring the culture, professional norms and expectations are established and nurtured. Over time, teachers are able to identify and create spaces of agency in relation to CCSE which reach beyond their immediate communities. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This research brings together teacher agency, curriculum making and leadership practices to better understand why some schools achieve agentic cultures as part of whole-school CCSE.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Leading whole school spaces of agency for climate change and sustainability education. A case study of four schools from England |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1108/jpcc-06-2024-0093 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPCC-06-2024-0093 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | Climate change and sustainability education, Whole-school approaches, Teacher agency, Leadership practices |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10197194 |
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